


Moments Thought (The Life and Times of Maria Jackson)

by weaselett



Category: Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 11:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4261011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weaselett/pseuds/weaselett
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How things were, how they might have been. A series of slice of life moments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments Thought (The Life and Times of Maria Jackson)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/gifts).



> This is a selection of scenes, inspired by your request, all from Maria's POV. Some are in universe, some are AU (which are in italics).

New house. New neighbourhood. New school. New friends. A whole new world.

It’s not what she expected, when her parents first announced their divorce, and that her mum would be keeping the old house. At least, when her mother announced it.

It’s hard, watching her dad, having seen the way her mum has always bossed him around, still bosses him around. It’s almost like the divorce never happened sometimes, then her mum mentions her boyfriend, or leaves their house, and Maria can’t help but remember.

In a way, the whole Bubbleshock thing helped her cope with it all, instead of making things worse. After all, aliens invading and trying to take control of the planet was a much worse than her parents getting divorced. Sarah Jane and Luke, they’re something to focus on, people she can help rather than just sit in her new room and struggle to deal with everything being so similar, but so different.

“I need a uniform.” Luke is all about statements, or at least, two weeks into his life, he’s all about statements. He’s all formal perfect English to Maria’s standard teenage English. Maria watches Sarah Jane a lot, when Luke speaks, and she can tell the woman is worried about him.

He is going to stand out, and not in a good way. She’ll stick by him though, they have a bond people wouldn’t understand.  
“I haven’t got mine yet either.” She smiles brightly at Luke across the table, glasses of lemonade scattered across it’s surface. She can hear her dad cutting the grass, taking advantage of the continued sunshine.

Luke frowns, “Why don’t you have one already?”

Maria grins, “I have my old uniform, but this school has a different one. I’d stick out like a sore thumb if I turned up on my first day at a new school in the wrong uniform.”

“Ah.” Luke nods, “Will we see Kelsey there?”

Maria chews on her bottom lip, “To be honest, I think she’s going to be avoiding us.” The other girl had been giving Maria a good avoiding since deciding that everything that had happened had been a hallucination. It was funny, listening to her mum going on about everybody who was getting therapy because of that thing that happened, when everyone ‘went zombie’. She’s watched Kelsey’s mum drive her off for her regular appointments, and wonders what the therapist thinks of it all.

She wouldn’t be surprised if the other girl wasn’t embellishing it all, turning it into some sci-fi action film. Sarah Jane probably had a more snappy name, and was a good deal younger.

Maria grinning, hiding it behind her glass as Sarah Jane bounced out of the house, box of biscuits in hand.

“Maria, would you like to come shopping with us? Luke needs a uniform, and more clothes really.” Sarah Jane’s smile is infectious. “Though, you should ask your dad if it’s ok.”

Maria shakes her head, “He won’t mind, he hates clothes shopping and as I was just telling Luke, I need to get my uniform as well.” Her mum would have taken her before, or at least, she would have promised to, then gotten distracted and sent her with her dad instead. Or one of her friends.

Kelly, or Paula, or Ken. She hasn’t really been in touch with them since the move. It’s not even like they’re that far away, it’s just that, well, they don’t get it. They shared stuff, but they were never massively close.

She doesn’t miss them like she should.

There’s Luke now, and Sarah Jane. Her mum’s not impressed, Kelsey had at least been her age, and a girl. Oh and Luke was weird. Apparently.

Sarah Jane’s watching her, expression intent and just for a moment Maria wonders how much of what she’s thinking shows on her face. “Besides, taking Luke shopping will be fun. There’s so much still to show you.” She grins across the table at him, and he gives her a bemused look verging on panic. Almost like a real teenage boy.

-

_"I changed my mind." Kelsey appeared beside Maria as she watched Luke climb out of Sarah Jane's car._

_"Really?" Maria eyed the other girl wearily, "We not crazy anymore."_

_"Oh you're crazy all right, but cool and exciting." Kelsey replied, crossing her arms over her stomach, "More exciting than this place ever has been." She cast an eye over the school buildings, "New building or not."_

_Maria looked back at Luke as some of the kids laughed and winced, "Oh poor Luke."_

_Kelsey snorted, "Sharp learning curve coming his way."_

_"Letting his mum kiss him in front of school." A boy's voice commented and both girls turned to look at the newcomer._

_"More fresh meat." Kelsey looked the boy over and grinned, "Bit of all right though you."_

_The boy shifted awkwardly, edging around them, "Ok, I'm just going to..." He hurried off, and Maria laughed, reaching out to poke Kelsey. "Go easy."_

_Kelsey grinned, "What would the fun be in that?"_

_Maria returned the grin and linked hands with the other girl, pulling her over to Sarah Jane and Luke. Her first day might not be too bad after all.  
_

-

Sarah Jane gets visitors at least once a week, but very few of them are from Earth. It’s not that she doesn’t have human friends, Maria’s seen Sarah Jane making enough phone call to contacts and friends at UNIT. It just seems like Sarah Jane attracts the friendly aliens who happen to be passing by.

“I think it’s because of him.” Luke whispers, leaning towards Maria as they sit on the doorstep, watching from a distance as Sarah Jane talks to her latest visitor. This one wanted information about something, almost undecipherable to Maria’s ears.

“Him?” Maria leans towards him, eyes wide as the little creature bounces around in front of Sarah Jane’s face.

“The man she travelled with. There’s something, a trace, that they can sense. That’s why they come here.” Luke smiles, bouncing a little.

Maria giggles, stiffing them behind her hand. Luke can be so puppy like, but she feels bad for laughing. He's still learning, still catching up. She forgets sometimes, that he's not even a year old, he knows so much. "Bet you wish you could meet that man."

"It would be amazing Maria, the stories mum tells me." There's a deep wonder in his voice, and his gaze drifts back to Sarah Jane. "She misses it, but not so much now. Having us, it fills some of the hole."

Maria nods, her own gaze returning to Sarah Jane, "Yeah, I noticed that. First time dad tried to speak to her, it was like we didn't exist, but now, she's opened up. She's happier. I think."

Luke nods, "I'm glad. I don't want to have a negative effect on her life."

Maria leans into him, "Never, you are definitely a good thing."

 -

_If there was one thing that Maria hadn't expected to have to do, at least, not before having her own kids, it was explaining to a confused teenage girl why she was bleeding._

_It was just sod's law that Sarah Jane had to be away this weekend, trusting Maria to take care of Lucy, or at least give her the full girly sleep over experience. Plus Clyde._

_The level of awkward was hilarious. Clyde had actually retreated downstairs to spend some quality time with her dad. Though, Maria couldn't help but agree with Clyde's assessment, her dad really didn't spend much time around other men._

_"Luce, honest that's normal. I mean, somewhere in that encyclopedia head of yours you've got to know that." Maria lent through the door and waved her peace offering. "Always have some on hand."_

_Lucy squinted up at her from her position in the bottom of the bath, eyes slightly red rimmed. "There's knowing and then there's facing the reality." Blonde hair fell into the younger girl's face as she ducked her head to hide her blush._

_Maria shrugged, "It sucks, don't tell Clyde. He'll make loads of inappropriate comments about synching. Then he'll remember he's well outnumbered."_

_Lucy smiled, weak in comparison to normal, but it was a smile all the same. "Clyde would be the one making a social mistake for once."_

_Maria grinned nodding, "Yup."_

-

Her dad sits across from her, expression solemn. He’d asked for a word, in his best ‘I am a positive, proactive supportive parent voice’ and she’d agreed. She thinks she knows what it’s about.

“So this thing, with Sarah Jane.” Her dad does a questioning tone better than anyone she knows. It’s almost his default setting.

“Do you have a crush on her?”

Maria blushes, bright red, stunned by his bluntness. “Dad!”

He stutters, flustered himself, “Sorry, I just, I didn’t think there was a better approach.” He shrugs helplessly. “You call her glamorous, and you’re always over there, and you hang on her every word.”

“You have a crush on her!” Maria throws back, struggling. Horrified for a moment, wondering if that’s what her mum thinks as well. A crush on Sarah Jane. She blushes harder, sliding down in her seat.

“Well,” He struggles himself, then shrugs ploughing on, “Yes and that’s all a bit awkward, but just. It’s not unusual you know? At your age, and I don’t mean that in a patronizing way, honestly, just I remember having crushes on teachers. People I was in awe of, who gave me some of their time.” Her dad shrugs, dropping his gaze to the table, fingers playing with the edge.

She looks across at him. Her dad, trying to reach out, thinking she might want to talk about things. Her mum would have been harsher, less considerate, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. “I admire her.” She admits, shifting, foot kicking at the table leg. “It’s not like, a crush. I like spending time with her. It’s exciting. It’s not just me though, there’s Luke and Clyde as well.”

Alan nods along, expression thoughtful. “Ok.” He hesitates, almost waiting for her to add something, before he continues, “Just, if you want to talk, just let me know yeah?”

She nods quickly, flashes him a smile and bolts.

-

_Maria edged out of Sarah Jane's gateway to get a better view of the new family. The house hadn't been empty long, just enough time for the grass to grow and the weeds to take hold of the flowers beds. The mother was eying them in a way that reminded Maria of her dad._

_A gardener, or at least someone who took offense at weeds as much as her dad did._

_"Are you watching the new neighbours?" Luke appeared next to her, glasses of lemonade in his hands._

_"Yup, it's a common practice." Maria took the offered glass and took a sip, watching as a girl her age bounced around a man who looked strangely familiar. "Isn't that the new headmaster?"_

_Luke edged out onto the path a little, then he nodded, "It is."_

_Maria winced, "Great, headmaster on the same street."_

_"He seems nice."_

_Maria made a face, "As a headmaster yeah, as a neighbour, that's awkward. I mean what's he going to think of us, with all the manic." Maria waved towards the top level of the Smith's house meaningfully. Luke's eyes widened._

_"I think I understand your point."_

_"What are you two up to out here?" Sarah Jane stepped out onto the path and smiled as she caught sight of the moving van, "I see, spying on the new neighbours."_

_"Our new head master, and his family." Maria replied dejectedly._

_Sarah Jane smiled, nodding to the girl. She looked around their age, and was obviously teasing her father as he carried a box into the house. "Maybe even a new friend."_


End file.
